Track-rail joint.



PATENTED SEPT. I, 1908.

J. G. RIGGS.

TRACK RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION FILED: AUG. 27, 1907.

, ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT omuon JOHN CALVIN RIGGS, OF BERKELEY,CALIFORNIA.

TRACK-RAIL JOINT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN CALVIN RIGGs, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Track-RailJoints, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of this invention is to pro vide the ends of railroad trackrails of standard T-form, with novel features which will effect apositive interlocking connection be tween such ends, when in pairs theyare forced together in sequence, rendering a joint between two engagedends of the rails practically continuous, and obviating ar, noise andinjurious wear, that occurs when the rolling wheels of cars impinge uponthe ends of track rails that are formed and supported in the usualmanner.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts, as is hereinafter described and defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of two end portions of track railsconnected by the improved means; Fig. 2 is a partly sectional plan.view, taken substantially on the line 2-.2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partlysectional plan view showing novel details of construction for the endportion of a track rail, a por tion being removed, and Fig. 4 is aperspective view of an end portion of a track rail embodying features ofthe invention.

The end portions 5, 5 of two T-rails are each as usual formed with aball a, web I) andbase flanges c, c projected in the same plane at eachside of the web.

In the formation of the improved rail joint, the ends of the T-railswhen finished for con nection in pairs with each other, are alike, sothat the description of one end portion on a track rail will suffice forany number of the same.

In manufacturing the improved rail joints, the head or ball a on a railend is shortened with regard to the length of the base flanges c, c, andis cut diagonal to the longitudinal plane of said ball as shown at d, inFigs. 1 and 4.

The end portion of the web I) is extended somewhat in advance of thebase flanges c', c,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 27,1907.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

Serial No. 390,267.

and is slotted longitudinally at the center of thickness, thus producingtwo leaf members I), b thereon which extend a short distance behind thediagonal end wall (1 of the ball a.

The leaf member b is offset laterally where it merges into the body ofthe web I), as shown at 5 and from said offset extends parillel with andspaced from the straight memer I).

It will be obvious that the leaf member b must be separated from thebase flange c it is adjacent to, but the opposed leaf member 6 ispreferabl formed integral with the base flange c. e free end 0 of thebase flange 0, is rounded on the outer edge to give it curved shape, andat the opposite edge .70, is cut away so as to space it from the nearestside edge at of the web I), as shown in Fig. 3.

To complete the novel formation of the track rail end, the portion 0that is projected forward on the base flange c, is bent on the line 90in a vertical plane, so that its edge a: will be disposed parallel withthe vertical surface of the integral leaf member I) and have contactwith the outer surface of the offset member 6 thus affording lateralsupport thereto, as is shown in the drawings.

When the track rails having the improvement are to be jointed togetherand arranged in sequence on cross ties or the like, two rails are placedin alinement and the leaf member I), on one rail end is introducedbetween a like member on the other rail end and the parallel offsetmember 6 thereon. It will be seen that if the rail ends when thusengaged are slid longitudinally, the diagonal face a on the ball of onerail will impinge upon a like face on the other rail and complete thejoint. When fully inserted, the leaf members I) on the connected trackrails, will be closely embraced by the spaced leaf members Z), on theother rail end, which will prevent side play of parts and render thejoint very strong, prevent sagging of the rail ends, obviate noise dueto percussion of wheels striking rail ends on ordinary rail joints andafford a very durable track rail connection.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In a joint between two track rail ends, two spaced leaf membersformed on the end of each track rail in advance of the web thereon, oneof each of these spaced members having sliding inserted engagementbetween the spaced members on the other rail, and seating uponcorresponding base-flanges of the track rails.

2. In a joint between two track rail ends, two spaced leaf membersformed on each track rail, one of said members on each rail end beingoffset and thus disposed at one side and in advance of the body of therail web,-the straight member of each rail having inserted engagementbetween the spaced members on the mating rail end-and passing over thebase-flanges thereof 'whereon said straight members seat.

3. In astrack -rail joint, two spaced and parallel leaf membersformed onan end of a rail-web, one of said members being offset at its junctionwith the end'of said rail web, and

a flange turned upward from an end of one base ange on said track rail,and having contact at its upright edge upon the offset leaf-member forits lateral support.

4. In a joint connection between the ends of two track rails, a straightleaf member, and an offset parallel leaf member, both formed on a resective end of the web on each track rail, t e ball on each rail havingan endface disposed diagonally to the longitudinal plane of a respectivetrack rail web,

the straight leaf member on each rail Web sliding into the space betweenthe leaf members on the other track rail, and when the diagonal endfaces of the balls of the track rails impinge forming a laterallyreinforced continuous rail joint connection.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specificationin thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN CALVIN RIGGS.

Witnesses:

JAMEs D. WATERMAN, .JAooB 'BAUME.

